The White House has informed FIFA that the United States will not host the 2031 Women's World Cup unless the global soccer body revises its transgender athlete policy to align with current U.S. restrictions, which aim to exclude transgender women from female sports categories. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House's World Cup Task Force, stated that FIFA had previously indicated the U.S. was slated to host the tournament.
"It is important that the Women's World Cup does not violate the policy of the United States of America in that it is important that women play in the Women's World Cup and not biological men," Giuliani said in an interview. He emphasized that federal cooperation, including essential government guarantees for visas and security, is contingent on these policy changes.
Giuliani revealed on Thursday that FIFA had already informed President Trump that the U.S. was positioned to host the 2031 tournament. The administration views the potential hosting as an opportunity to advance its agenda on transgender participation in sports. President Trump has consistently advocated for restricting transgender athlete participation and has urged sports organizations to adopt similar rules.
This stance puts pressure on FIFA, which has historically operated under a more flexible framework adopted in 2011. Under those guidelines, national federations are responsible for verifying player eligibility before submitting rosters, rather than undergoing mandatory sex testing. The International Olympic Committee recently decided to bar transgender women from competing in women's events, reflecting a broader shift in the international sporting landscape.
While FIFA has not yet formally awarded the 2031 tournament, a joint bid from the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica is the sole candidate. Member associations are scheduled to vote on the hosts for the 2031 and 2035 Women's World Cups before the end of 2026.
Giuliani expressed optimism about the potential tournament, stating, "I think it's going to look a little different than this one. I think it's going to be amazing. Probably some different cities involved."
